Herbs and Natural Medicine in Germany

For some time the scientific world has been concerned about the ever increasing numbers of bee colonies dying out and not surviving winters, because of the effect their disappearance is having on essential plant pollination, and German born Albert Einstein's supposed claim that "if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, man would have only four years to live", has been in the spotlight recently.

However there is another of his verified statements that is probably even more exact: "We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us".

Albert Einstein lived from 1879 until 1955, and in 21st century Germany there are between 600 to 700 herb and plant based medicines available.

In Germany herbal medicines are prescribed by more than 70 percent of general practitioners, even veterinarians, are supported by the public health insurance systems and sold through Apotheken, German pharmacies, as well as Bio Laden, natural food stores, and limited selections can be found in supermarkets.

Both economically and technologically the country has an advanced herbal and natural medicine industry with continuous high level scientific research concentrated into herbs and "phytomedicines" while the study of herbal medicine, "phytopharmaceuticals", is a compulsory element of the curriculum for all medical and pharmaceutical students.

Herbal medicine has a long tradition of using plant seeds, flowers, leaves, bark and roots, and its dominance in medicine cabinets throughout Germany, in addition to the advances in clinical research in proving its value in the treatment and prevention of disease, began to attract the attention of major European pharmaceutical companies some years ago.

The use of herbs in this case also covers what are commonly known as weeds, to those with gardens in which they would rather that they did not grow.

Regular herbal medicine and plant remedies courses, walking through meadows and woods or up hills and mountain sides before noon because this is the optimum herb harvesting time, are well attended and regularly run for those who want to find out more about nature's plants and herbs, to be given tips on what can or can not be used, and learn about lotions and potions which can aid, or perhaps cure, a problem.

In keeping with a country that believes as far as possible in a "Green Way of Life", there are also many experts who dispense eagerly followed wisdom and advice on the age old medicinal recipes for each month and season's herbs and plants.

Including a famous Bavarian Kraeuterfee, Herb Fairy, who remained an active, inspiring and perpetually youthful advertisement for her way of life and thinking until she passed at almost 90.

Her recipes continue to be followed faithfully and cover everything from various nettle mixtures, including juices to combat stress, anemia and tiredness, red onion juice with honey and schnapps for building up immunity, apple vinegar poultices for tired, swollen legs, to nettle, dandelion and wild garlic paste that, when added to salad sauce or cream cheese, chases away all traces of spring tiredness or anemia.

During the Middle Ages there was a close connection between food preparation and medicine, and today there continue to be many popular and well used natural medicine alternatives to the pill box or medicine bottle, including the centuries old cure for almost everything, homemade chicken soup made with fresh herbs and vegetables.

Or the instant and permanent relief that comes when fruit schnapps, or vodka, is dabbed onto a burn first cooled in cold water.

A complementary alternative remedy for headaches is a few drops of peppermint oil gently rubbed into the forehead, temples and back of jaw, any excess allowed to seep into the skin giving an immediate cooling feeling, followed after about 30 minutes by relief from the headache.

Of course although in former years garlic traditionally offered protection from vampires, now among other things it is a popular natural health remedy to give relief from bronchitis and clear sinuses, by way of a tea made from three crushed garlic cloves simmered in water for 20 minutes together with chopped parsley leaves, which can be sipped without the fear of leaving a tale tale odor.

Despite its increasing popularity, natural medicine and the use of herbs will not be replacing conventional medicine in Germany, but continue to run in combination.

Modern science has proved that for many ailments herbs, cures handed down from generation to generation and quoted for centuries in German folklore, including Horse Chestnut for varicose vein treatment, Chili Pepper for pain relief, Valerian for insomnia, the healing power of water, make viable and effective treatments, with few side effects, and are more relevant today than ever before.